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December 1964 - April
1977, theatrical
September 1969 -
September 1970, NBC
September 1970 -
September 1971, NBC
September 1971 -
September 1976, NBC
September 1976 -
September 1977, NBC
February 1978 -
September 1978, NBC
September 1978 -
September 1979, ABC
DePatie-Freleng |
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From
his first appearance, no one could have guessed that the
Pink Panther would become the cartoon icon he is today.
The character was first seen in the opening credits of the
1964 Inspector Clouseau film, "The Pink Panther." While he
was never seen in the movie proper (in the film the name
was given to a rare diamond), audiences fell in love with
Pink's cool sense of style and Henry Mancini's jazzy theme
music. DePatie-Freleng - designers of the title
sequence - were commissioned by United Artists to create an entire series of Pink
Panther theatrical shorts, many of which aired with the
various Pink Panther feature sequels.
Just like the feature
film's opening sequence, the Pink Panther never spoke in his
theatrical cartoons, relying rather on nonverbal wits to
outsmart his foes. He assumed a wide variety of roles, but
more often than not just happened to be wandering along when
confronted by whatever new and unlikely situation he found
himself in. He was often teamed with a short, big-nosed
character nicknamed "Friz," who was also silent. Like his
castmate, the little man assumed a wide range of roles -
everything from a burglar and a construction worker, to a pet
shop owner and a husband.
Pink Panther became even more
popular when he appeared on television. In September 1969, NBC
debuted The Pink Panther Show, which aired Pink Panther
theatricals along with theatricals of The Inspector - a series
also inspired by "The Pink Panther" feature film and based on
the movie's main
character, Inspector Clouseau. Comedian "Crazy" Lenny Schultz
hosted the show, along with the Ritts Puppets.
After one season, the hosts were dropped from the show and
several new characters were added, sparking a title change to
The Pink Panther Meets The Ant and the Aardvark which, after
one season became The New Pink Panther Show. The Ant and the Aardvark starred an ant who sounded like Dean Martin
and an anteating aardvark who sounded like Jackie Mason.
Comedian John Byner did both voices. Misterjaws was a
nearsighted shark with a German accent who relished in
scaring swimmers by sneaking up on them and yelling
“Gotcha!” The last segment starred The Texas Toads, two
rural reptiles who were always in danger of being eaten by
birds. This segment was also known as The Tijuana Toads.
These old and new DePatie-Freleng cartoons came
together for one Saturday morning extravaganza in 1976. The Pink Panther Laugh
and a Half Hour and a Half not only
boasted one of the longest Saturday morning TV show names
to date, it also bundled Pink, Misterjaws, The Inspector,
The Ant and the Aardvark and the rest into a single
convenient package.
In 1977, The Pink Panther Laugh and a Half Hour and a
Half evolved into Think Pink Panther!, repeating episodes
of Pink Panther, Misterjaw, and Tijuana Toads.
1978 ushered in The All-New Pink Panther
Show, which featured the first Pink Panther cartoons made
specifically for television. The change, however, didn't
affect Pink. He remained silent. Accompanying these segments was a new character
named Crazylegs Crane. With the help of his son, Crane
Jr., the dim-witted bird chased a dragonfly named "Dragonfly" without much success. |
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1964:
The Pink Phink
Pink Pajamas
1965:
We Give Pink Stamps
Dial 'P' For Pink
Sink Pink
Pickled Pink
Shockig Pink
Pinkfinger
Pink Ice
The Pink Tail Fly
Pink Panzer
An Ounce Of Pink
Reel Pink
Bully For Pink
1966:
Pink Punch
Pink Pistons
Vitamin Pink
The Pink Blue Print
Pink, Plunk, Plink
Smile Pretty, Say Pink
Pink-A-Boo
Genie With The Light Pink Fur
Super Pink
Rock-A-Bye Pinky
1967:
Pinknic
Pink Panic
Pink Posies
Pink Of The Litter
In The Pink
Jet Pink
Pink Paradise
Pinto Pink
Congratulations! It's Pink
Prefabricated Pink
The Hand Is Pinker Than The Eye
Pink Outs
1968:
Sky Blue Pink
Pinkadilly Circus
Psychedelic Pink
Come On In! The Water's Pink
Put-Put Pink
G.I. Pink
Lucky Pink
The Pink Quarterback
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Pink
Pink Valiant
The Pink Pill
Prehistoric Pink
Pink In The Clink
Little Beaux Pink
Tickled Pink
The Pink Sphinx
Pink Is A Many Splintered Thing
The Pink Package Plot
Pink-Come Tax
1969:
Pink-A-Rella
Pink Pest Control
Think Before You Pink
Slink Pink
In The Pink Of The Night
Pink On The Cob
Extinct Pink
1971:
A Fly In The Pink
Pink Blue Plate
Pink Tuba-Dore
Pink Pranks
Psst Pink
The Pink Flea
Pink-In
Going With The Pink
1972:
Pink 8-Ball
1974:
Pink Aye
Trial Of The Lonesome Pink
1975:
Pink DaVinci
Pink Streaker
Salmon Pink
Forty Pink Winks
Pink Plasma
Pink Elephant
Keep Out Forests Pink
Bobolink Pink
It's Pink But Is It Mink?
Pink Champaign
The Scarlet Pinkernel
1976:
Mystic Pink
The Pink Arabee
The Pink Pro
Pink Piper
Pinky Doodle
Sherlock Pink
Rocky Pink
1977:
Therapeutic Pink
1978:
(made for television episodes; part of The All-New
Pink Panther Show)
Pink Pictures
Pink Arcade
Pink Lemonade
Pink Trumpet
Sprinkle Me Pink
Dietetic Pink
Pink Lightning
Pink S.W.A.T.
Pink U.F.O.
Pink Daddy
Cat And The Pinkstalk
Pink And Shovel
Pinkologist
Yankee Doodle Pink
Pink Press
Pet Pink Pebbles
The Pink Of Bagdad
Pink In The Drink
Pink Bananas
Pink-Tails For Two
Pink Z-Z-Z
Star Pink
1979:
Pink Breakfast
Pink Quackers
Toro Pink
String Along In Pink
Pink In The Woods
Pink Pull
Spark Plug Pink
Doctor Pink
Pink Suds
1980:
Supermarket Pink
Specials:
A Pink Christmas (1978)
Olym-Pinks (1980)
Pink at First
Sight (1981, Marvel Productions) |
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Pink Panther (theme used for
the shorts) |
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The Pink Panther Show (1969) |
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The New Pink Panther Show (1971) |
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Think Pink Panther!
(1977) |
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